:00:02. > :00:07.Hello and welcome to Midlands Today with Michael Collie and Suzanne
:00:07. > :00:12.Virdee. The headlines tonight: Strike warning as council workers
:00:12. > :00:19.prepare to apply for their own jobs. Probably lose about �3,500, which
:00:19. > :00:22.will eat into my savings for my retirement, really. The bottles
:00:22. > :00:30.whose contents could have killed - hundreds of bottles of fake alcohol
:00:30. > :00:33.taken off the shelves. There is a high level of methanol in there.
:00:33. > :00:35.There are two other chemicals associated with cleaning products.
:00:35. > :00:39.Job worries in the carpet industry as a historic manufacturer
:00:39. > :00:49.considers a takeover. And cricket's stars come out in Birmingham ahead
:00:49. > :00:57.
:00:57. > :01:04.of England's crucial test match Good evening. Welcome to Monday's
:01:04. > :01:07.Midlands Today from the BBC. Tonight: A union warns of a "series
:01:07. > :01:09.of strikes" this autumn at one of our region's councils. It comes as
:01:09. > :01:12.thousands of Shropshire Council workers are to be balloted over
:01:12. > :01:14.industrial action. Unison will tell Shropshire Council on Wednesday
:01:14. > :01:18.that it's opening that strike vote next week. It's happening because
:01:18. > :01:20.6,500 staff have been told they'll be dismissed next month and then be
:01:20. > :01:26.re-employed at lower salaries as the council tries to protect jobs
:01:26. > :01:30.and save �76 million. It's one of only a handful of councils in the
:01:30. > :01:33.country pursuing the "fire and re- hire" policy. Ben Godfrey has this
:01:33. > :01:38.report. Malcolm Allmark's due to retire in
:01:38. > :01:41.four years, but he told me he's had to think again. The site manager at
:01:41. > :01:46.Shropshire Council was told he'll be fired and only re-hired if he
:01:46. > :01:56.accepts less money. 6,500 people from admin staff to social workers
:01:56. > :02:16.
:02:16. > :02:23.have been told they'll be dismissed at the end of September.
:02:24. > :02:33.response was to send out the ballot paper.
:02:33. > :02:37.If you earn less than �13,000, your salary remains the same. We have
:02:37. > :02:43.tried to put forward alternative ways of saving the amount of money
:02:43. > :02:51.that we need to save. On members are telling us very forcibly that
:02:51. > :02:54.they are going to be calling industrial action.
:02:54. > :02:57.So is there a precedent? Look at Southampton. Here the city council
:02:57. > :03:03.has just been through its own so- called "dismissal and re-engagement
:03:03. > :03:06.plan". Most workers signed the contract, but there's since been 12
:03:06. > :03:09.weeks of strikes, and bins are stacking up. That won't happen in
:03:09. > :03:12.Shropshire - refuse collections are privatised. In fact, to avoid
:03:12. > :03:14.dipping into a pool of public money, even the Quarry swimming baths in
:03:14. > :03:21.Shrewsbury will soon be privately managed. We asked people whether
:03:21. > :03:25.they sympathised with the workers. It seems there is a lot of people
:03:25. > :03:30.working for the council, maybe they could have made it a small amount
:03:30. > :03:34.of people. With that is the way they are going to save their jobs.
:03:34. > :03:37.Needs must. They are overpaid anyway.
:03:37. > :03:39.The strike ballot opens next wednesday, with the result a
:03:39. > :03:49.fortnight later. As dark clouds formed over Shire Hall, no one
:03:49. > :03:53.inside was available for an interview. In a statement,
:03:53. > :03:58.Shropshire council says it is disappointed by news of the ballot.
:03:58. > :04:02.This will save making between 405 hundred redundancies, and many
:04:02. > :04:05.staff say they will accept the changes, according to the council.
:04:05. > :04:07.Joining us now from our Southampton studio is BBC South's political
:04:08. > :04:15.reporter Alex Forsyth. Alex. How does the situation in Southampton
:04:15. > :04:19.compare with what's being proposed in Shropshire? There are huge
:04:19. > :04:26.similarities between the two, but staff in Shropshire have it
:04:26. > :04:30.slightly worse. Here we are talking about pay cuts at up to 5.5%, and
:04:30. > :04:40.staff on less money will take less of a pay cut. In fact, those who
:04:40. > :04:41.
:04:41. > :04:45.earn less than �17,500 will not have a pay cut a tall. But they are
:04:45. > :04:53.being told that if they don't sign up to this, they will lose their
:04:53. > :04:58.job. Here What impact have the strikes had in Southampton?
:04:58. > :05:02.departments have been sent out on strike a week or two at a time.
:05:02. > :05:05.Some libraries have had their opening hours reduced. But by far
:05:05. > :05:09.the biggest impact here in Southampton have been the bin
:05:09. > :05:12.strikes, some of the binmen have been out for two months. If you
:05:12. > :05:18.went out into Southampton a few weeks ago, you would have waded
:05:18. > :05:23.through piles of rubbish, and the smell permeated the streets.
:05:23. > :05:26.there any end in sight to the dispute there? I think because
:05:26. > :05:32.Southampton was the first council in the country to implement these
:05:32. > :05:35.pay cuts, the union have focused here. I think they thought the
:05:35. > :05:39.ethic of stoppage here, they could stop it elsewhere. There have been
:05:39. > :05:44.lots of talks, but so far no resolution. The council here are
:05:44. > :05:47.saying that if they don't cut pay, they will have to cut jobs.
:05:47. > :05:57.Later in tonight's programme: Learning how to make the perfect
:05:57. > :05:58.
:05:58. > :06:01.oatcake - courtesy of Robbie Counterfeit wine and spirits that
:06:01. > :06:05.are so toxic they could kill drinkers have been seized from
:06:05. > :06:09.shops. Hundreds of bottles have been taken off the shelves by
:06:09. > :06:12.trading standards teams. Bootlegging is a growing problem,
:06:12. > :06:22.costing the taxpayer an estimated �600 million a year. Here's our
:06:22. > :06:25.
:06:26. > :06:29.They are backed up as evidence, but all these bottles were on sale at
:06:29. > :06:34.off-licences in North Staffordshire. The team responsible for seizing
:06:34. > :06:40.the spirits had also subjected them to scientific test. The results are
:06:40. > :06:44.startling. There is a high level of methanol in there, and to other
:06:44. > :06:49.chemicals that are associated with cleaning products. The potential is
:06:49. > :06:53.that it could cause of blindness in somebody if they drink sufficient
:06:53. > :06:56.quantities, and also there is a possibility of causing death.
:06:56. > :07:05.Counterfeit wine has also been recovered, produced by criminal
:07:05. > :07:08.gangs. These bottles have all been seized with and the last few weeks.
:07:08. > :07:11.Counterfeit alcohol is becoming a growing problem. And the potential
:07:11. > :07:14.dangers were highlighted last month after the explosion which killed
:07:14. > :07:17.five men at an industrial estate at Boston in Lincolnshire. Police
:07:17. > :07:20.suspect it was an illegal vodka distillery. For reputable sellers
:07:20. > :07:25.of alcohol, like here at the Duke William pub in Burslem, the
:07:25. > :07:35.increase in couterfeiting is unwelcome. The reason for the rise
:07:35. > :07:40.is partly put down to economics. is because of the recession. There
:07:40. > :07:44.is a market for it now, isn't there. People have less money in their
:07:44. > :07:46.pockets, so there is a niche in the market. For anyone caught
:07:46. > :07:49.counterfeiting, the penalties can be harsh. Whoever produced these
:07:49. > :07:59.bottles could face up to two years in jail if they're prosecuted. Liz
:07:59. > :07:59.
:07:59. > :08:03.Copper, BBC Midlands Today, North Let catch up with the rest of the
:08:03. > :08:07.day's news. A Port Vale footballer has appeared in court charged with
:08:08. > :08:11.rape. 22-year-old defender Clayton McDonald, who recently joined the
:08:11. > :08:14.club from Walsall, is charged with raping a woman at a hotel near
:08:14. > :08:16.Rhyll in north Wales in May. He's been jointly charged with the
:08:17. > :08:19.Sheffield United striker Ched Evans. A statement on the Port Vale
:08:19. > :08:21.website says Mr McDonald strongly refutes the claim.
:08:21. > :08:25.Nearly �10 million-worth of machinery has been stolen from
:08:25. > :08:28.farms across the region. That's according to a survey by Stratford-
:08:28. > :08:33.on-Avon based NFU Mutual, who say "agricrime" has risen by 17% over
:08:33. > :08:37.the past two years. Many farmers are now having to invest in
:08:37. > :08:43.immobilisers for tractors. Lawnmowers and jetwashers are most
:08:43. > :08:46.commonly targeted, followed by quad bikes.
:08:46. > :08:49.A global private equity firm has confirmed today that it's in talks
:08:49. > :08:51.about taking over one of the biggest names in the region's
:08:51. > :08:55.carpet-making industry. Brintons has been making carpets in
:08:55. > :09:02.Worcestershire for more than 200 years. There are concerns that any
:09:02. > :09:08.takeover could lead to job losses. Andy Newman has this report.
:09:08. > :09:13.They have been weaving carpets here since 1783. But is the historic
:09:13. > :09:16.fabric of this family run business about to be unpaid? Talks are under
:09:16. > :09:21.way on a deal which could lead to ownership of the Kidderminster
:09:21. > :09:25.factory being handed over to foreign investors. In a statement,
:09:25. > :09:28.the managing directors said that Barrington's are in discussions
:09:28. > :09:33.with the global private equity company, but would go no further.
:09:33. > :09:38.We understand that company is the Carlyle Group, based in the United
:09:38. > :09:43.States, although we cannot officially confirm it. My concern
:09:43. > :09:47.would be a private equity company were only interested in buying the
:09:47. > :09:51.name, had no interest in the very historic connection with
:09:51. > :09:56.Kidderminster, and simply wanted the name, and had their main base
:09:56. > :10:00.in another country and wanted to shift manufacture. Concern for jobs
:10:00. > :10:04.in industry which is already a shadow of its former self-. This
:10:04. > :10:11.was the factory in the 1930s, thousands pouring out of the gates.
:10:11. > :10:15.Today it is hundreds. Many more worked at other firms, in a town
:10:15. > :10:20.where 33% of the entire work force made carpets.
:10:20. > :10:26.If back in the 1960s, there were no fewer than 60 carpet companies in
:10:26. > :10:32.the Kidderminster area, employing 17,000 people. Today there are just
:10:32. > :10:38.five main competitors left, employing just 200 people -- 2000
:10:38. > :10:43.people. Mike was a Barrington's employee for 30 years, and went on
:10:43. > :10:47.to become chief executive of the Carpet Foundation. He believes this
:10:47. > :10:51.deal may be unwelcome, but necessary. There will be many
:10:52. > :10:56.people who will born -- mourn the loss of the influence, because they
:10:56. > :11:01.have a wonderful record over the years, but we have to be realistic.
:11:01. > :11:07.Nobody predicted a recession, and we are now stuck with a situation
:11:07. > :11:11.where all manufacturing companies are finding life very difficult.
:11:11. > :11:15.after famous names like Cabaret, another Midlands brand with a
:11:15. > :11:21.worldwide reputation could end up in foreign hands. More news is
:11:21. > :11:26.expected in the next few weeks. A lot of people in Worcestershire
:11:26. > :11:29.with great interest in what happens there. We will keep you up-to-date.
:11:29. > :11:32.There's just one month to go now until the final stage of digital
:11:32. > :11:35.television switchover here in the Midlands, when the Fenton and
:11:35. > :11:38.Sutton Coldfield transmitters make the big switch. Our science
:11:38. > :11:41.correspondent David Gregory reports now on someone who was so impressed
:11:41. > :11:51.by the help they got, they're now making sure they spread the word
:11:51. > :11:54.
:11:54. > :11:59.She is a busy woman about Redditch, but Kathleen still enjoys high
:11:59. > :12:03.quality TV. Oh, John Barrow man! I love him.
:12:03. > :12:09.So she's made the switch to digital, and she was delighted to find she
:12:09. > :12:13.qualified for free help. He got the little box out, turned the
:12:14. > :12:17.television around, put all the things in, showed me how to do it,
:12:17. > :12:24.and he was nice. Her daughter, Mayor of Redditch no less, was so
:12:24. > :12:29.impressed with the scheme, she's helping get the word out too. So
:12:29. > :12:35.you were doing a bit -- doing your bit to tell people about the scheme
:12:35. > :12:39.yes? Yes, because if people don't know what is happening, if people
:12:39. > :12:42.do know of anybody who was on their own, they should go and check that
:12:42. > :12:45.they know what is going on. Half the Midlands has already gone
:12:45. > :12:47.digital. The remainder switches in a month. On 7th September, if you
:12:47. > :12:55.haven't done anything you'll find BBC Two will disappear. It's a
:12:55. > :13:00.warning you're about to be left behind. But there's plenty of help.
:13:00. > :13:04.We are doing around 1,000 installations a day. The
:13:04. > :13:07.installation involves putting the boxing, and the installer will take
:13:07. > :13:12.the time to explain how the equipment works, and they won't
:13:12. > :13:16.leave that person Bolm at home until they are comfortable with the
:13:16. > :13:24.new equipment. If you qualify for help with digital switchover, you
:13:24. > :13:28.were sent a letter. But we will give you the contact details to
:13:28. > :13:34.find out more a moment if you have lost it. And you can make sure you
:13:34. > :13:44.continue to get your little bit of Barrowman.
:13:44. > :13:48.Kathleen will be delighted! People who qualify are 75 or over,
:13:48. > :13:55.a registered disabled, registered blind or partially-sighted, or in a
:13:55. > :14:01.care home. The number is here on the screen. Somebody will come out
:14:01. > :14:07.by appointment, for free, and fit a digital box, and make sure you know
:14:07. > :14:13.how it works. That is held for specific groups of
:14:13. > :14:16.people. What about the rest of us? Yes, you have to go and find the
:14:16. > :14:21.money will feel a TV or your Freeview box. There is another
:14:21. > :14:27.number that you can phone. These are the technical people with
:14:27. > :14:33.regards to any questions that you might have. They have the manuals
:14:33. > :14:39.for all the TV's and Freeview boxes that you might have. The first half
:14:39. > :14:44.went fairly smoothly, so we are hoping that this will, as well.
:14:44. > :14:48.So there is a final switch later? Yes, all the details are on the
:14:48. > :14:51.website. Still to come in tonight's
:14:51. > :14:54.programme: England's cricket stars meet their public - but will they
:14:54. > :14:58.be good enough to be crowned the world's top test side at Edgbaston?
:14:58. > :15:08.And I'll be here later with the latest weather for the Test - and
:15:08. > :15:09.
:15:09. > :15:15.the news isn't great. There could Swimming in rivers and lakes was
:15:15. > :15:18.once a popular pastime, especially here in the landlocked Midlands.
:15:18. > :15:28.But health and safety fears resulted in a bit of a decline, and
:15:28. > :15:29.
:15:29. > :15:31.jumping in your nearest lake wasn't thought advisable. I am not sure
:15:31. > :15:34.about Now, though, enthusiasts are reporting a revival of so called
:15:34. > :15:39."wild swimming". Bob Hockenhull caught up with a group of "wild
:15:39. > :15:43.swimmers" at Carding Mill Valley in Shropshire.
:15:43. > :15:46.In recent years, this reservoir has been officially out of bounds for
:15:46. > :15:50.swimmers. But now it's one of a number of locations where
:15:50. > :15:58.organisations such as the National Trust are encouraging wild swimming.
:15:58. > :16:03.This walking group is taking advantage of the trend. People have
:16:03. > :16:07.stopped doing things outside, they have eased off a lot. And suddenly
:16:07. > :16:09.everybody has started coming back to it. Until the 1970s, swimming in
:16:10. > :16:15.your local river or lake wasn't considered unusual. In some cases
:16:15. > :16:18.diving platforms were set up alongside the water.
:16:18. > :16:22.Since then, Britain has become much more health and safety conscious,
:16:22. > :16:28.but the river and lake summing associations has only a small
:16:28. > :16:32.proportion, about 12%, of drownings are as a result of people swimming
:16:32. > :16:34.in the water. Most accidents occur when people fall in - many have
:16:34. > :16:37.been drinking alcohol. The National Trust owns the reservoir, which
:16:37. > :16:44.once supplied water to Church Stretton. Up to now the trust had
:16:44. > :16:47.discouraged swimming here, so why the change of heart? Of the
:16:47. > :16:52.National Trust has had a huge campaign to get people out of doors,
:16:52. > :16:56.and part of that is embracing things like while slumming. What we
:16:56. > :17:00.ask is that people don't do it alone, make sure someone knows
:17:00. > :17:03.where you are, and make sure that you are aware that there is no
:17:03. > :17:10.lifeguard here. So what did these intrepid swimmers
:17:10. > :17:14.think about the experience? Swimming pools are follow if the
:17:14. > :17:19.chlorine, and you have to wear goggles. It is much nicer. It in
:17:19. > :17:22.the open air. It is lovely. After walking all day, it is really
:17:22. > :17:24.refreshing. It might be cold, but these
:17:24. > :17:31.enthusiasts say they'll definitely be back for more. Bob Hockenhull,
:17:31. > :17:37.BBC Midlands Today, Shropshire. Refreshing! Is that a word for
:17:37. > :17:39.perished? Excitement is building ahead of the
:17:39. > :17:42.third test match between England and India at Edgbaston, which
:17:42. > :17:45.starts on Wednesday. If England win, they'll replace India as the
:17:45. > :17:48.world's number one Test team. Nick Clitheroe's at the Council House in
:17:48. > :17:54.Birmingham - an unusual place to talk about cricket, so Nick tell us
:17:54. > :17:58.Yes, phenomenal interest in this game, with more than 85,000 tickets
:17:58. > :18:01.already sold for the first test match at the new look Edgbaston.
:18:01. > :18:04.England's current success has really captured the imagination of
:18:05. > :18:14.the fans, and they got a chance to get a few tips from their heroes
:18:14. > :18:22.Hello, mate! English cricket is riding a wave of success. Victory
:18:22. > :18:25.in the Ashes last year has been steadily built on. Even so the size
:18:25. > :18:28.of the crowds who turned up in Birmingham city centre this morning
:18:28. > :18:33.surprised the players they'd come to see. It is massive. It is good
:18:33. > :18:39.to see such a massive turnout. The start of the football season,
:18:39. > :18:42.interest usually drops off, but it hasn't this year. And if you were
:18:42. > :18:48.in any doubt about the excitement been generated, just look at the
:18:48. > :18:52.size of the queue here for autographs. All this talk about the
:18:52. > :18:56.demise of Test cricket, and it to me it is the best form of the game.
:18:56. > :19:01.England is doing so well, it is lovely to get the grass roots up
:19:01. > :19:07.and going. You could never get as close to football players like this.
:19:07. > :19:10.If I was younger, I wouldn't be seeing all these players!
:19:10. > :19:13.This was Cricket in the City - an initiative launched by the ECB to
:19:13. > :19:16.spread the word about a sport enjoying its time in the spotlight
:19:16. > :19:20.and make sure children all across the Midlands persuade their parents
:19:20. > :19:23.this is the sport for them. It won't do that ambition any harm if
:19:23. > :19:26.England seal a series victory and number one spot by winning at
:19:26. > :19:28.Edgbaston to rise to the top of the Test rankings. It is always a
:19:28. > :19:32.unique atmosphere at Edgbaston. It is a very passionate, very
:19:32. > :19:37.knowledgeable public in Birmingham. You only have to go to Birmingham
:19:37. > :19:42.City or West Proms -- West Brom to know that the fans know what they
:19:42. > :19:47.are on about. This England team are breathing new
:19:47. > :19:53.life into the sport. I am sure India will have something
:19:53. > :19:57.to say about that. And joined by one of their squad. You have had a
:19:57. > :20:03.fantastic reception here from the Indians and the square. Yes, a
:20:03. > :20:09.fantastic reception. It is nice to see people come and support you. It
:20:09. > :20:13.is nice to see the youngsters here, as well. How much are you looking
:20:13. > :20:21.forward to playing? I am really looking forward to playing, and
:20:21. > :20:25.just happy to be in the squad again. I'm really happy that I'm back in
:20:25. > :20:31.the side, and very eager to play. I'm sure there is determination
:20:31. > :20:34.among the Indian team to get back into the series. Yes, you lose some
:20:34. > :20:40.and then you win some, and it is time for us to pick ourselves up.
:20:40. > :20:44.We want to go out there and win a few matches. And keep that No. 1
:20:44. > :20:51.ranking in the world? Yes, you don't get that easily, so we want
:20:51. > :20:55.to hold on to that! We just want to get the result our way. I hope you
:20:55. > :21:01.enjoy yourself in Birmingham and enjoy the new look Edgbaston. That
:21:01. > :21:06.will be a really exciting test on Wednesday, England against India,
:21:06. > :21:16.the third match of the series, it will be a fantastic few days at
:21:16. > :21:18.
:21:18. > :21:20.Now, the Football League season got Both Birmingham City and Coventry
:21:20. > :21:23.City suffering defeats in the Championship. But in League One,
:21:24. > :21:28.Walsall fans may have already seen their goal of the season, as Ben
:21:28. > :21:31.Sidwell reports. A new season and a new man in
:21:31. > :21:37.charge at Birmingham City. Chris Hughton must have been delighted
:21:37. > :21:42.with the way things started. But Birmingham began life back in the
:21:42. > :21:49.championship with a defeat. It is certainly going to be a long season,
:21:49. > :21:53.this one. There are a lot of good teams to play, and we need to keep
:21:53. > :21:56.determination and enthusiasm, and we will pick up results. A There
:21:56. > :21:58.were more sending-offs than goals as Coventry took on Leicester at
:21:58. > :22:01.the Ricoh Arena. Former Aston Villa and England striker Darius Vassell
:22:01. > :22:05.got his marching orders after just 11 minutes, and Coventry were also
:22:05. > :22:08.down to ten men before half time, Carl Baker getting a straight red
:22:08. > :22:12.for this challenge. The only goal of the game came early in the
:22:12. > :22:14.second half, Lee Peltier earning all three points for Leicester.
:22:14. > :22:17.Walsall spent most of last season battling for their Division One
:22:17. > :22:22.lives, but they started this one with a 1-0 win against Leyton
:22:22. > :22:25.Orient, and what a goal, too. Adam Chambers, with one of the best
:22:25. > :22:35.finishes you'll see at the Banks' Stadium all season - on his debut,
:22:35. > :22:38.
:22:38. > :22:47.against the side who let him go in N new season, but the same old
:22:47. > :22:50.argument, with the Port Vale fans calling for the board to go. On the
:22:50. > :22:53.pitch, Louis Dodds scored an injury time equaliser as the sides drew 2-
:22:53. > :22:56.2. Former Port Vale striker Justin Richards got two goals on his debut
:22:56. > :23:00.for Burton Albion at Torquay, but the home side fought back from 2-0
:23:00. > :23:05.down to snatch a point. And if your team's goal wasn't
:23:05. > :23:09.there, don't despair. Just log on to the BBC Sport website where you
:23:09. > :23:12.can find the goals, along with more news and interviews from your club.
:23:12. > :23:15.If you're having your tea right now, what are you having? Maybe an
:23:15. > :23:18.oatcake? I only ask because today is National Oatcake Day - a day
:23:18. > :23:24.when lovers of the Potteries delicacy tell the world all about
:23:24. > :23:27.it. That's if campaigners get their way. The oatcake has been eaten in
:23:27. > :23:31.Staffordshire for hundreds of years, and some half a million are made
:23:31. > :23:41.every week. Even Robbie Williams' dad is a fan, as Laura May McMullan
:23:41. > :23:45.
:23:45. > :23:49.The humble Staffordshire oatcake is It doesn't sound like much of a
:23:49. > :23:59.delicacy, but it all depends on what you fill them with. Two bacon
:23:59. > :24:00.
:24:00. > :24:04.and cheese, please. Two sausage and cheese. You can put anything on the
:24:04. > :24:07.new like. People in Stoke on Trent prefer cheese and bacon.
:24:07. > :24:10.Well, now there's a group of oatcake lovers who are campaigning
:24:10. > :24:18.to achieve a National Oatcake Day! Today in Hanley they seemed to be
:24:18. > :24:24.going down a treat. It is not just an oatcake. You have got the
:24:24. > :24:28.pottery, the football. Oatcakes bring people together. People on
:24:28. > :24:34.mad over oatcakes. They will travel for them. It has been born and bred
:24:34. > :24:39.into them. And with more than 10,000 supporters of the campaign
:24:39. > :24:44.so far, it looks like they're hitting the spot. We love them
:24:44. > :24:49.because they are from Staffordshire. If everybody knew about them, they
:24:49. > :24:59.would be mass produced, and they wouldn't be very good. And there
:24:59. > :25:03.
:25:03. > :25:11.are a few famous fans as well. I don't know why, but they don't sell
:25:11. > :25:15.them in Beverly Hills in California! Well, of course we've
:25:15. > :25:18.got pancake day, there's a Cornish pasty day in August, and there's a
:25:18. > :25:23.national fish and chips day, which was started in May last year. So
:25:23. > :25:26.why not make August 8th national oatcake day? I do actually think
:25:26. > :25:29.the date needs thinking about a little more. Across the city, more
:25:29. > :25:31.than half a million oatcakes are produced every week. Campaigners
:25:31. > :25:41.believe there's definitely an appetite for the Potteries' best-
:25:41. > :25:44.
:25:44. > :25:48.And why not? Cheese and bacon are the top ones! Now, as promised,
:25:48. > :25:58.Shefali Oza's here with a look ahead to what the weather has in
:25:58. > :25:58.
:25:58. > :26:02.store. Will the sun be shining for Not really. Let's just cut to the
:26:02. > :26:06.chase and look at what is going on for the beginning of the cricket.
:26:06. > :26:11.We don't go into the weekend on this table, but you can see it
:26:11. > :26:15.isn't looking promising for the start of the test. This is what is
:26:15. > :26:21.going on on the pressure chart. We have this ridge of high pressure
:26:21. > :26:26.from tomorrow, but then this rain starts to push in. It is a classic
:26:27. > :26:31.wishbone formation, two fronts a hinged at the top. Wind it will
:26:31. > :26:35.start to increase as those isobars squeeze together. Temperatures
:26:35. > :26:42.today were under par for the time of year. He would normally expect
:26:42. > :26:46.23-24 Celsius, but we only reached 18 today. It will become cooler
:26:46. > :26:52.overnight. We could see a trickle of showers coming in through parts
:26:52. > :27:00.of Shropshire, but otherwise it is dry tonight. Temperatures could
:27:00. > :27:04.fall as low as five Celsius., otherwise tens and elevens. We
:27:04. > :27:11.maintain that a little flicker showers through the north-west
:27:11. > :27:17.going into tomorrow. For the rest of us, it is dry, but we will see
:27:17. > :27:23.the cloud infilling from the north- west. Temperatures again, 18 or 19
:27:23. > :27:32.Celsius, but coupled with a brisk wind. For the rest of the week, it
:27:32. > :27:36.A look at tonight's main headlines: More violence on the streets of